Thankful for Neighborly Help

This past Thanksgiving I was certainly thankful for a number of things, but I didn't expect the following to be added to the list.  It was a beautiful day in San Antonio, temperature in the high 60's, low 70's, with just a very slight breeze.  About an hour or so before firing up the turkey fryer oil, I decided to go out for a run around my parent's place.  Their neighborhood is filled with very slight, short, and gentle hills that offer a moderately challenging and entertaining 15-20 minute run just outside the door.

Just before I set off on the run I remember that on my last visit Mom had advised me to take a wooden stick with me to protect myself in case I came across any loose dogs during my run.  She said that the neighborhood had a lot of them and that it was better to be protected that way.  I had carried such a stick when she first told me that time and indeed I had come across a dog or two that needed the visual reminder to stay back and off me.  Remembering that, I looked around the yard and quickly found a good solid stick to carry with me again for protection.  I set off on a different direction this time around to explore a different side of the neighborhood.

About 3/4 mile into the run, I noticed a gated driveway with a couple of mixed labs near the entrance.  As usual, they started barking at me...but soon after my heart jumped when I saw a  large pack of about 8-10 more dogs coming from the rear of that same driveway.  But I quickly thought to myself "Well, at least the gate is closed, no need to worry." Yet within a few seconds, the lead dog on that pack reached the gate, and to my amazement, got up on his hind legs, reached up, and without much trouble swung the gate wide open.  I stopped dead on my tracks as I couldn't believe my eyes....about 11-12 large, ferocious-looking dogs headed straight for me, with absolutely nothing between us to stop them.  I knew I could possibly hit one, two, perhaps three of them with the stick I was carrying, but after that they'd start ganging up on me and I'd be toast.  Then I heard my saving grace...a car coming from up the last hill I had run, honking its horn loudly at the dogs.  The dogs froze where they were and I backed off in that direction as a natural reaction.  The lady driving the car then stopped right in front of the dogs creating a nice barrier between me and the dogs.  She began yelling at the dogs to back off, rolled her passenger's side window down and without me asking, opened the door motioning for me to jump in.  The look of surprise and relief in my eyes must have said it all, because she said "I know, these dogs are a huge headache around here....this is not the first time this has happened, I'm just happy to have come out at the right time".  She was right.

I can't even imagine what it would have been like if this lady, who didn't even know my name, had not been a nice, helpful, friendly neighbor or if she had not come down my way exactly when she did.

God bless her and her spirit.  I will be forever thankful to Him for putting her on my path that day.

Need to get out there

Hello world,
Just started this blog today as a way to put down my thoughts as they come, and help myself stay focused with the things that are important to me, the things that over time I have learned about myself that help me keep balance and maintain a good perspective in life.  This first post has a lot to deal with my current background photo...a couple of cyclists enjoying a great time outdoors.  I want...I need to get back to doing that soon, not just by myself but with Yissi...Diego...Caesar...and with the great bunch of family and friends I'm blessed to have.....I have to do whatever it takes to make that a reality soon and stop wishing....Happy Thanksgiving to all!